Display 0752:  Freshman Retention Rate X Developmental Level

Although appropriate long-term data is unavailable for conclusive judgement, it appears that a long-term gradual decline in fall-to-fall retention of full-time, first-time freshmen at SSU has been swamped in recent years by radical swings (>10% +/-) in the retention rate.  Such radical changes are usually due to institutional policy or circumstance changes rather than to changes in student behavior.

Retention Rate Trend by Developmental Level* 1991-2** 1992-3 1993-4 1994-5 1995-6 1996-7 1997-8 1998-9 1999-00 Savannah State Regular Admits 69.8 66.9 69.8 -- 58.9 -- -- -- -- Developmental 65.6 59.9 57.1 -- 52.8 -- -- -- -- Aggregate 66.9 61.9 60.8 58.9 54.8 65.7 53.9 64.8 -- State Universities Regular Admits 68.7 69.5 66.8 -- 68.4 -- -- -- -- Developmental 58.9 58 55.5 -- 55.7 -- -- -- -- Aggregate 64.2 64.2 61.8 62.7 63.3 66.6 65.3 -- --

** Note: Prior to the 1991 student cohort, the University System of Georgia calculated retention data for the categories "black" and "others" rather than for "developmental" and "regular admits."

Source:  Reconstructed from the Registrar's SIRS files via BOR, Information Digest (1992-6) and Misc. Reports, 1998-00
SSU Office of Institutional Research & Planning
Update 9/00